NEWSMAKERS

The Fourth of July went off like a dud at the box office, as the Michael Bay sequel “Transformers: Age of Extinction” and the Melisa McCarthy comedy “Tammy” led the weakest summer holiday weekend in at least a decade.

The North American box office was down a whopping 44 percent over the July Fourth weekend last year, when “Despicable Me 2” and “The Lone Ranger” opened.

The holdover “Transformers” led all films with an estimated $36.4 million, while “Tammy” had a below expectations Friday-to-Sunday haul of $21.2 million.

The other new wide release was the horror flick “Deliver Us From Evil,” which had no blockbuster ambitions.

The Sony Screen Gems release, starring Eric Bana, opened in third with $9.5 million. Rounding out the top five were “22 Jump Street” with $9.4 million in fourth place and “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” fifth place, with $8.8 million.

Simpson weds ex-NFL player Johnson

MONTECITO, Calif.

Jessica Simpson is a newlywed.

The singer and TV personality married retired NFL player Eric Johnson Saturday at San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, Calif., her publicist Lauren Auslander confirms.

Simpson and Johnson began dating in 2010. They have a 2-year-old daughter, Maxwell, and a 1-year-old son named Ace.

Auslander said Ace served as a ring bearer and Maxwell walked down the aisle as a flower girl.

It is the second marriage for both Simpson, 33, and 34-year-old Johnson. Simpson previously was married to singer Nick Lachey.

Actor Short arrested

DALLAS

Former “Scandal” actor Columbus Short has been arrested in Dallas and charged with public intoxication.

Dallas police said the 31-year-old Short was arrested at 2 a.m. Saturday at the Katy Trail Ice House, a popular beer garden and restaurant.